Bell 20 Tavern Opens in Crystal City

It doesn’t exactly have the local appeal of a Buffalo Wild Wings, but a new bar/restaurant has opened in the lobby of the Crystal City Marriott (1999 Jefferson Davis Highway).

Bell 20 Tavern features a full bar with a selection of 10 beers on draft and numerous beers by the bottle. Happy hour drink specials start at $3.20.

The restaurant’s food selection is still being worked out, but the initial happy hour bar menu includes fried chicken tenders, a cheeseburger, spicy meatballs and a bowl of turkey chili — all $6.20 from 3:20 to 7:20 p.m. Happy hour appetizers include chips and salsa, pretzel rolls, garlic fried and a half-dozen wings — all for $3.20.

Bell 20 has a lounge-y feel, with plush seating areas and a slick bar design. That conflicts a bit with other aspects of the restaurant, including the large windows that let in plenty of light, and the food and drink selection, which can best be described as “traditional.” Bell 20 will cater mostly to travelers staying at the hotel, but it will also be a solid happy hour option for local 9-5ers who don’t want to brave the crowds other after-work spots.

My wife and I happened to be over at Bell 20 for breakfast last Thursday, just a day after the new restaurant opened. It’s a remarkable transformation for the hotel’s former lobby, and the cozy bar and tables create a great atmosphere. If you’ve been following all of the renovations at Crystal City hotels, one might say it’s got a feel similar to the updated lobby bar at the Hyatt, but in a more intimate setting. The staff is very excited and the food was great — definitely worth a visit.

Southeast Ben

$3.20 Drink Specials?

Annonymous

Draft selections feature the new Port City Brewery Optimal Wit, and Monumental IPA. Other selections include Guinness, Bass, Bud Light, Yuengling, Stella Artois, and Sam Adams. They also have a great craft brew selection in bottle.

Yesterday, I went to Bell20 for the last time. I gave them four chances and I think the service actually got worse with each visit. If you like skunked beer; beer that is 50% foam; or waiting 30 – 45 minutes just to get a beer, then Bell20 is the place for you. The service there is beyond horrible. The bar staff are CLUELESS. It likely the “bartenders” at Bell20 were housekeepers in the hotel last month. Don’t waste your time.

Tom

Tihs place is just plain awful. Went with some coworkers and was served funky beer from the tap. Instead of rectifying this with the bottled beers I would’ve settled for, the maid – I mean, bartender – made us wait while the keg was changed and served us slightly less gross beer 20 min later. After ordering food which never showed, we politely told the wait staff to forget it and just bring the check, which still had the food on it. I paid the $3.20 for wings I never saw and didn’t tip. Will not ever return to this cesspool.

Tim

Kinda sad that this place isn’t better. Hopefully the problems will be ironed out if/when Marriott decides to hire real bartenders, but the current staff have clearly never tended bar. While not aiming very high, Bell20 still manages to underwhelm. I echo the comments of others that criticize the wait times. Haven’t tried the food yet, but serving a beer shouldn’t be this difficult.